Table of contents
- Two-cylinder naked bikes in the 2014 Alpen Masters Honda NC 750, Moto Guzzi V7 Special, Yamaha MT-07, Yamaha XV 950
- With a cruiser into the Alps – Yamaha XV 950
- Right in the heart – Moto Guzzi V7 Special
- Clicks from turn to turn – Yamaha MT-07
- Modest pulling power – Honda NC 750 X
- Placements and conclusion
- 1st place: Honda NC 750 X
- 2nd place: Yamaha MT-07
- 3rd place: Moto Guzzi V7 Special
- 4th place: Yamaha XV 950
- Conclusion
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35 pictures
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1/35 Everything done right, "says tester Karsten Schwers, relieved to say, when things are going well at the Alpine Masters. For the tenth time, MOTORRAD is working with several European partner magazines to determine the King of the Alps from 20 models.
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2/35 Karsten Schwers (42), chief tester.
Drives the co-drivers to despair with stoppies during the brake test. Did everything right this year too.
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3/35 Gert Thole (58), inventor of the Alpine Masters and test chief. (Ver) doubts only when he twisted his knee properly in motocross.
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4/35 Thomas Schmieder (47), test editor. Frequent travelers and women who understand women, even if they are quietly doubtful. Leaning towards tourers, because a passenger likes to climb on them.
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5/35 Sven Loll (40), test driver, photo model, instructor, always on the go. Only doubts his career choice if the internet connection doesn't work.
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6/35 Rainer Froberg (50), fleet manager and test driver. Keeps calm, overview and humor even if the situation in the test operation seems desperate.
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7/35 Sebastian Schmidt (33), test driver and always ready for anything. As the youngest of the test crew, he is largely immune to any kind of doubt.
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8/35 From the Italian partner magazine "INMOTO": Andrea Toumaniantz (50), IT expert and motorcycle tester. When in doubt, always opt for the lighter bike.
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9/35 From the Croatian "MOTOREVIJA": Kristijan Tičak (40), editor-in-chief. As a car and motorcycle tester, I will at some point despair of time management.
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10/35 From the Spanish "MOTOCICLISMO": Oscar Pena (41), test editor, ex-Supersport driver. Only for the second time in the Alps, she continues to look at it with slight doubt.
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11/35 The 20 motorcycles compete against each other in five groups that are as homogeneous as possible; the first-placed move into the final. There, for once, the test crew throws their objectivity overboard: The experienced testers from home and abroad are allowed to create their own personal ranking lists. The motorbike that receives the most votes will be the Alpenkonig – and it will also do everything right.
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12/35 And here our MOTORRAD test crew. Eva Breutel (53), Italy correspondent. Every now and then doubts whether mature women are still allowed to ride motorcycles. But then do it with enthusiasm.
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13/35 The Pordoi is one of the most spectacular alpine passes ever. In a flowing curve dance, 60 hairpin bends are lined up on the east and west ramps – uncompromising, demanding and simply ingenious.
Blacksmith
14/35 Every year, it is the tricky task of test boss Gert Thole and his crew, the 20 motorcycles put together for the Alpine Masters. This is tricky because the testers cannot choose according to their mood, because only brand new and revised models and motorcycles that have never had to prove themselves in this mega comparison are eligible to compete.
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15/35 In the category "Beginner" the Honda NC 750 X, Moto Guzzi V7 Special, Yamaha MT-07 and the Yamaha XV 950 compete against each other.
BILLION
16/35 Up and down, gladly again and again – and particularly gladly on the Pordoi: altitude profile of the test track.
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17/35 Instead of the well-known Sella circuit, there is an even more varied Ladin circuit: for exactly 100 kilometers, the test route leads largely through the Ladin area, a small ethnic minority in the Dolomites. The starting point is the hotel "La Cacciatora" in Canazei in Trentino.
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18/35 The gentle curves up to the Fedaia pass are used for entering. The lake of the same name looks breathtaking together with the Marmolada glacier; But you shouldn't be too distracted, because after the top of the pass it goes steeply downhill in often slippery hairpin bends.
Blacksmith
19/35 Behind this meander is the first measuring section with a 15 percent incline (draft) or incline (braking).
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20/35 After a short stretch of valley behind Sottoguda, a narrow lane with unlit tunnels winds towards the Falzarego Pass.
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21/35 At the subsequent Passo di Valparola with its grandiose, the measuring point for the passage is at an altitude of 2000 meters.
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22/35 The varied descent ends in a long straight in the San Cassiano valley and then rushes via La Villa to Corvara, where a wintry mudslide had severely damaged the surface.
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23/35 The rather inconspicuous Passo di Campolongo is mainly used to get to the Pordoi.
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24/35 The Moto Guzzi V7 Special landed in 3rd place. The Italian has a powerful engine with an inimitable sound. Unfortunately it is without ABS.
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25/35 4th place is occupied by the Yamaha XV 950. It has a large-volume engine and good responsiveness. However, it touches down very early on the right.
BILLION
26/35 Here are the performance curves of the individual bikes.
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27/35 The Honda NC 750 X is simply completely suitable for everyday use and was able to convince in the Alpine Masters.
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28/35 The 2nd place goes to the Yamaha MT-07. It is strong in torque and acceleration, but its chassis is not at the same level as the engine.
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29/35 The Honda NC 750 X took first place and was therefore further ahead. It impressed with its decent chassis and scored points with the lowest consumption in the entire Alpine Masters. The mixed pull rates were a disadvantage.
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30/35 The Honda NC 750 X, Moto Guzzi V7 Special, Yamaha MT-07 and the Yamaha XV 950 compete against each other. It was an exciting alpine competition with surprising results.
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31/35 Finally a real mountain goat: Tester Karsten Schwers tries all the tricks to elicit her chassis secrets.
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32/35 Map study at the impressive Fedaia reservoir under the Marmolada glacier.
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33/35 Behind the scenes of the alpine competition: coffee break with heart and key collection.
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34/35 category "Beginner": The Alps are calling, and the twins hurry up: four two-cylinder units with very different concepts are vying for the crown in the smallest class, from cruisers to classic and naked bikes to all-rounders.
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35/35 The Honda NC 750 X wins with more comfort and better chassis.
motorcycles
Two-cylinder naked bikes in the 2014 Alpen Masters
Two-cylinder naked bikes in the 2014 Alpen Masters Honda NC 750, Moto Guzzi V7 Special, Yamaha MT-07, Yamaha XV 950
Honda NC 750, Moto Guzzi V7 Special, Yamaha MT-07, Yamaha XV 950: Four two-cylinder units with very different concepts are vying for the Alpen Masters crown in the smallest class, from cruisers to classic bikes and all-rounders.
Gert Thole, Eva Breutel
07/03/2014
So that one thing is immediately clear: The name “Beginner” does not mean that these four motorcycles represent the crawling group of the 2014 Alpine Masters and only deserve a sympathetic smile. The Twins are only partially suitable for absolute motorcycle beginners, because apart from the Moto Guzzi V7 bring more power with you than the 48 hp class allows. The term “beginner”, chosen with the international partners at the Alpine Masters in mind, rather means newcomers to the Alps or simply enjoyable people who prefer to glide relaxed through the Dolomites rather than stressedly chasing from pass to pass.
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The four motorcycles follow different concepts. Yamaha contributes two brand new models, namely the cool cruiser Yamaha XV 950 and the sensational naked bike Yamaha MT-07. Moto Guzzi is the beautiful classic V7 Special, in which the alternator, unlike the previous year's model, now runs in an oil bath. It doesn't make any difference in terms of driving, but entitles the charismatic Italian to start again at the Alpine Masters. Finally, the all-rounder NC 750 X comes from Honda, with 50 cm³ more displacement than its predecessor, which is actually noticeable thanks to the improved torque.
With a cruiser into the Alps – Yamaha XV 950
The most unusual choice for an alpine tour is undoubtedly Yamaha's five hundred pound Cruiser XV 950. Comparatively long wheelbase, flat steering head angle, low footpegs – not the best premises for stalking through bends. It is still promising, because the seat is more cuddly than expected, the footrests allow a comfortable knee angle, and the handlebars lie comfortably in the hand. A big plus point is the air-cooled V2 engine with measured 54 HP, which already pushes its maximum value of 81 Newton meters at 3000 tours. Such a drive can make you feel dizzy in the Dolomites. Or better said: could, because because of the exhaust system, the right footrest is far out and touches up early, together with its massive carrier, which in the worst case can undermine the motorcycle.
Such gloomy prospects dampen the forward drive considerably, and so there is time to deal with the further quirks of the Yamaha XV 950 to get on the track. These include the lack of suspension travel, which is particularly uncomfortable on pothole passes like the Campolongo. The non-adjustable brake lever can sometimes be pulled almost to the handlebars, and the ample payload is of little use because there are no options for securing luggage. Overall, despite its beautiful engine, the XV is not so well suited for carefree cornering at lofty heights. Anyone who does it anyway should approach right turns carefully.
Right in the heart – Moto Guzzi V7 Special
The price range is similar to that of the Yamaha XV 950, namely at a good 8500 euros Moto Guzzi V7 Special, which appeals to completely different motorcyclists with its upright seating position and classic lines. With her, too, the engine is on the plus side, even if it only produces 45 hp on the test bench and the torque of just under 59 Newton meters is rather weak. But this inimitable shaking compensates for this, with which the Italian V2 starts moving and from then on beguiles its driver with bassy bubbling.
The solid workmanship and the beautiful analogue round instruments contribute to the feeling of joy in the saddle. The Guzzi workers apparently did not take the assembly very seriously, because small parts were lost twice along the way, including the stop screw for the foot brake. The gearbox does below average, because the gearshift travel is long and the spongy clutch is not exactly razor-sharp. On the other hand, the Moto Guzzi V7 Special shows off its 21-liter tank with a range of 457 kilometers – a real advantage in the mountains, where petrol stations are not too dense.
You shouldn't be blinded by the quite comfortable-looking space for the pillion passenger: the seat is too short, the handles are barely reachable, and the footrests are much too high, quite apart from the fact that the Guzzi with passenger runs out of breath earlier . And yet: If you agree with yourself that it doesn't have to be wet research, the Moto Guzzi V7 Special brings real alpine happiness and shows its strengths, accelerates linearly and follows the line in tight bends as well as in wide bends. In short: It looks like it is made of one piece and impresses with its smooth handling. No question about it, little Guzzi still hits the heart six years after its appearance. However, with her rather poor performance and without ABS, she has no chance of one of the top places.
Modern Classic
Comparison test: Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight, Honda CB 1100, Kawasaki W 800, Moto Guzzi V7 Racer, Triumph Scrambler The slow must go on read more
Clicks from turn to turn – Yamaha MT-07
So it goes to a duel between the Yamaha MT-07 and the Honda NC 750 X, the two cheapest machines in the quartet. At first everything seems clear, because when it comes to drive, the Yamaha is MT-07 with her measured 76 PS way ahead and turns out to be a brave Alpenheidi with a crisp pulling force. Uphill with a passenger, she can go from 25 to 75 km / h in second gear in just 4.9 seconds. Completely effortlessly, it clicks from bend to bend, whizzing just as nimbly through the flowing course of the Pordoi as it is over the thread-thin lane to the Falzarego pass. The 689 cc twin is perfectly tuned for the mountains and already produces a torque of almost 60 Newton meters at 3000 rpm. The low weight is particularly pleasing: Yamaha's naked bike only weighs 184 kilograms with a full tank. A real relief for not so experienced drivers in the demanding winding curves of the Alps.
Naked bike
Yamaha MT-07 in the top test Great read more
Naked bike
Yamaha MT-07 and Kawasaki ER-6n in comparison test Star ensemble of the middle class read more
Naked bike
Yamaha MT-07 in the PS driving report That knocks the PS tester off his stool read more
Modest pulling power – Honda NC 750 X
The all-rounder from Honda cannot keep up. The Honda NC 750 X carries almost 40 kilos more with it, and its pulling capabilities are rather modest; At an altitude of 2000 meters, she even achieved the worst value in the entire Alpine Masters with 14.6 seconds from 50 to 100 km / h, which is due to her extremely long sixth gear. The 57 measured horsepower, supported by ample torque right from the start, would still be enough for a successful alpine spectacle, but unfortunately Honda has built in a real fun brake: the 750 runs into the limiter already at 6500 rpm, which is usually short when accelerating Straight lines between the numerous switchbacks are extremely annoying. The throttle and clutch can be dosed with great sensitivity in tight bends, otherwise the Honda panting after the Yamaha.
In terms of driving behavior, however, it then catches up. Although the significantly lighter Yamaha MT-07 is a bit more manageable, it is not quite as precise and stable. Compared to the Honda, it looks wobbly, which gives an ugly moment of shock in some inclined positions. Except for really rough edges, the Honda's suspension elements respond well, while the MT-07 makes even small bumps noticeable in the often damaged asphalt of the Dolomite passes. During emergency braking downhill, the Honda is earlier, despite its single brake disc, if the driver really grabs the iron. The stoppers of the MT-07 require much less manual force and are very effective, but they afford a stoppie – that means point deduction for the ABS. When it comes to comfort, the Honda is way ahead, offering the driver and front passenger dresser seating as well as decent weather protection. The MT-07 also leaves springs when it comes to storing luggage, and you wouldn't want a high passenger seat without handles for a longer tour of the Alps. Overall, despite its lively engine and low weight, the MT-07 lost so much of alpine soil that the not-so-smart, but rock-solid Honda NC 750 X prevailed with 16 points and won the smallest class of alpine conquerors.
Naked bike
Honda NC 750 X in the driving report (2014) A shot glass more displacement read more
Enduro
BMW G 650 GS and Honda NC 750 X in the test 48 hp motorcycles in comparison read more
Placements and conclusion
BILLION
The data and measured values of the beginner bikes.
1st place: Honda NC 750 X
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The Honda NC 750 X takes 1st place and thus further.
plus
decent chassis
lowest consumption in the entire Alpen-Masters
decent weather protection
practical storage compartment under the dummy fuel tank
convenient for driver and front passenger
minus
The rev limiter is annoying at 6500 rpm
mixed pull-through values
Naked bike
Honda NC 750 X in the driving report (2014) A shot glass more displacement read more
2nd place: Yamaha MT-07
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The 2nd place goes to the Yamaha MT-07.
plus
strong when drafted
and acceleration
brilliantly tuned good mood engine
light weight
low price
minus
Chassis not level with the engine
slightly wobbly in an inclined position
Stoppie on emergency braking
bad pillion seat
Naked bike
Yamaha MT-07 in the driving report So easy. So controllable. read more
3rd place: Moto Guzzi V7 Special
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The Moto Guzzi V7 Special landed in 3rd place.
plus
strong character engine
inimitable sound
nice details,
good workmanship
enormous range
minus
no ABS
moderate draft,
especially uphill
rather measly driving-
services
spongy clutch, long shift travel
Modern Classic
Comparison test: Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight, Honda CB 1100, Kawasaki W 800, Moto Guzzi V7 Racer, Triumph Scrambler The slow must go on read more
4th place: Yamaha XV 950
www.jkuenstle.de
The 4th place goes to the Yamaha XV 950.
plus
a lot of torque from the basement
large volume engine
good response
low seat height
unexpectedly ergonomic seat
minus
touches down very early on the right
Suspension hits through
Baggage storage difficult
high weight
Conclusion
BILLION
The evaluation of the bikes.
Exciting alpine competition with surprising results: The new Yamaha MT-07 cannot prevail, despite the lively engine and the smart concept. With more comfort and a better chassis, the Honda NC 750 X, which is more suitable for everyday use, wins and makes it to the finals. Moto Guzzi V7 Special and Yamaha XV 950 landed third and fourth.
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